Child&#39;s instructional or amusement device



J. B. LOBB CHILDS INSTRUCTIONAL OR AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1947 Jan. 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 23, 1951 J. B. LOBB CHILD'S INSTRUCTIONAL 0R AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug; 1, 1947 Patented Jan. 23,1951

CHILDS ENSTRUCTIONAL R AMUSEMENT DEVICE John Buchanan Lobb, Southgate, London, England A Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,491

In Great Britain February 11, 1946 Section 1, Public Law 690, August s, 1946 Patent expires February 11, 1966 1 Claim.

This invention reates to a childs instructional face and coupled to the spindles with an actuating member conveniently situated for hand actuation and coupled to the gear train by step-bystep driving mechanism whereby the hands will move in step-by-step fashion and at appropriate reative speeds around the face upon the actua" tion of the member.

' The actuating member conveniently moves the hands one five minute step for each movement, that is to say, the minute hand moves through 30, whilst the hour hand moves through one twelfth of this amount.

Also the invention may be said to comprise an instructional or amusement device consisting of a plate having a clock face thereon, supporting means for said. plate, and a movement carrying hour and minute hand arbors, which movement is mounted on the rear of the clock face and includes a gear train to couple the hour and minute arbors in correct ratio, a step-by-step drive mechanism with a manual actuating lever, the one end of which projects from the edge of the face, whilst the other end is coupled to the drive mechanism, the arrangement being such that for each actuation of the lever the hands move one five minute step.

Alternatively, a suitable spring mechanism may be provided whereby the one movement of the actuating means resuts in the hands moving through one hour, in five minute steps.

In order that a clear understanding of the invention may be obtained, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, illustrating two preferred arrangements of the invention, and one preferred actuating mechanism, wherein;

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of one form of toy clock constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of a modified construction;

Figure 3 is a side view thereof;

Figure 4 is-a rear vie o the .aGtuating mechanism, and

" Figure 5 is a side'view thereof. i

'In the drawings, like reference numerals: indicate like parts, and in Fig. 1, the device consists of a rectangular 'base 6 of pressed metal and a'circula r dial carrying plate I is mounted to upstand from the base. The base carries a wire frame 8, on which are a number of counters to. The mechanism is identical in both of the constructions illustrated and as shown in particular in Figs. 4 and 5, the said mechanism is carried by a front plate member 9, and arear pate member ii), mounted in spaced parallelrelation to the plate Q'by bending the ends to form lugs H, H, so that a cage like structure to house the mechanism is provided. The hour and minute hands numbered l2, it respectively, are carried by their arbors l i, l5, and theminute arbor l5 carries a ratchet like wheel l6 and a lever Il-freely pivoted on the spindle l5 carries a blade it adapted to co-operate with the wheel teeth, the said lever being loaded by the spring l9 The free end of the said lever projects from the cage structure, and when said structure is se cured to the rear of the plate member I, the said end projects beyond said plate l as shown in Figs.

l and 2. The step down drive from the minute hand spindle to the hour hand spindle is provided by a gear train designated genera ly 20, whilst the wheel 20a of the said train has three projections Zn from its rear surface as shown. A second lever 22 is pivoted at 23 and is controlled by spring 24, the arrangement being such that on the turning of the wheel 253a in a clockwise direction Fig. 4, a projection 2| will co-operate with the end of the said arm, move same about its pivot to load the spring 24 until the projection clears the arm end, when the arm is returned by the spring, the roller 25 striking the bell 25. The disposition and arrangement is such that" for every depression of the lever I1, theminute hand is moved five minutes and the hour hand proportionatey through the gear train 20. The bell 25 is struck every time the hour is indicated. To prevent any back movement of the ratchet wheel It, a spring blade 21 is' provided suitably mounted on the plate member 9.

The mechanism is mounted on the rear of the plate i, and a circular disc 28 is carried by the hour arbor, the arrangement being that a portion thereof is visible in a window 29 in the plate 1. This disc carries the hour numbers and moves with the hour hand so that upon the striking of the bell 26 by the roller 25, the correct hour is indicated in the window.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 1, the clock is self-supporting on its base. In the alternative curing members and each semi-circular end part is arranged to pass through a slot in the cover and be bent over. A strut member 32 is bent at its one end so that this bent end can engage in a loop member projecting from the cover. The slot 34 limits the movement of lever.

It will be understood that any suitable mechanism may be provided to impart the step-bystep hand movement. For example, a pin and Maltese cross mechanism may be provided, or a spring drive may be incorporated, arranged so that for one movement of the hand lever, the minute hand makes its twelve steps. For instance, an arcuate toothed rack may be provided which drives a gear train", the final wheel havi'nga pin to engage a Maltese cross in the form of a wheel or disc having l2 equispaced notches in its circumference arranged so that upon each rotation of the aforesaid final wheel, the cross wheel is'moved through 30".

The ar'cuate toothed rack ispivotally mounted and extendingiromsaid' pivot is a hand actu- Siting lever, integral with the rack. A tension spring bias'ses" the arcuat rack and on the hand depression of the lever the tension spring is loaded so that upon release of said lever the a'rcu'ate rack moves about its pivot, the arrangemerit of the gear train being such that the minut hand mo'vesizi 12 steps whereby the hands move in step-by-step fashion through the space of one hour. Thusupon each depressionof the the actuating lever and subsequent release, the clock travels in 5 minute steps through one hour. A suitable free wheel device may be incorporated in the gear'train' to render same operative only upon the return movementby' the" spring.

I claim:

In a childs instructional and amusement device, the combination comprising, a dial having a window, an hour hand and a minute hand connected together by a gear train in the usual man ner and sweeping over the dial, manually operated means to move the hands in five-minute steps, means movable with the hour hand and carrying hour indicating numbers each visible through the window at the completion of a full turn of the hour hand, audible signaling means mounted on the dial, three projections projecting' from a wheel being part of the gear train and each at the completion of a full turn of the hour hand operating the signaling. means, and counters movably connected tothe dial and 0D- crable by the child.

JOHN BUCHANAN LOBB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date' 440,374 Smith Nov. 11, 1890 488,521 Hudson Dec. 20-, 1892 588,670 Waters Aug. 24, 1897 623,558 Patterson Apr. 25, 1899 1,143,519 Edminston June 15, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,281 Great Britain s 1915 27,861 Australia & Aug. 13, 1931 

